…is the name of today’s story on Fictive Dream.
Throughout the month of February 2021 I will be showing you illustrations I did for Flash Fiction February 2021 at Fictive Dream, an online short-story magazine. For more information about FFF21 and my artwork process, look here.
Here’s the image editor Laura Black chose for this story, Sunday Morning at the Farmers’ Market, by Evan James Sheldon.
And here is the artwork with the banner. Take a look at this image. And then…
Read the story at Fictive Dream.
Claudia McGill and Her Art World 
Today’s story Sunday Morning at the Farmers’ Market by Evan James Sheldon offers an unusual take on grief. I chose to pair it with this particular illustration largely because of the palette: the black that borders the edge, far right, engages with the idea of death and loss; the central stripe represents, at least for me, the skin that features in the story, and the lighter border, far left, reminds us that there’s life beyond grief. Thank you, Claudia, text and artwork seem to work so well together here.
Thank you. I loved this story and to me it was a hopeful one of grief and the path onward without the lost person, but with the memories – and the point when the journey must be continued alone. I also saw the black space as a treelike form, growing to the light, as we continue to do no matter what goes on. And I like to think of the circles as little worlds, maybe representing the one we live on now, and the ones that are to come as we progress through life? Obviously a lot can be read into an abstract work. The story gives the direction for the viewer to take his/her thoughts. I like this about this pairing.
What an interesting story about moving through grief and finding a way to move forward. I feel that is represented well in your story with your areas of darkness and light. I like this illustration a lot. Had I not interpreted it in conjunction with the story, I would have stuck with my original interpretation of rocks moving off from the ground and floating off into space. And now that I am writing that I wonder why I saw their path as being in that direction rather than space boulders smacking into earth.
Yes, I also see them as moving away, not falling. They are floating, not pulled by gravity. Hmmm, that is interesting.
Another favorite, both story and pairing. I immediately loved the painting, like memories that give you a glimpse of something you can’t quite catch, something I experience all the time. But paired with the raw love and grief in the story–magic. (K)
Yes, I think this story was one of my favorites, and I also really like this picture for all the things it can be. And it’s really so simple – just shapes made with a stencil.
I love this!
Thank you!